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New Delhi: A whistle reverberates across the misty hills of Mizoram, as a train winds its way through lush conifer forests, and soaring ridges. It demonstrates a quiet revolution that has unfolded in India’s Northeastern state -- a historic milestone of sorts.
However, this odyssey is just a scenic ride -- it is also a huge leap in connectivity for the state.
The Bairabi–Sairang Railway Line, meandering through 51.38 km, has become the first broad-gauge railway to link Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl, with the vast Indian railway network.
It's an engineering masterpiece that has defied all odds. But mammoth effort and years of hard work has gone into its making. Commissioned this year in June, the railway line took a 26-year operation to turn it into reality.
The ride is not just scenic but breathtakingly adventurous too, as the line includes 48 tunnels spanning 12.85 km. The route has as many as 142 bridges, with Bridge No. 196 the tallest — standing firm and reaching a height of 104 metres. It is the highest railway pier in Mizoram, and even taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar. Besides, the road-over-bridge provides connectivity with road networks on five road-over bridges and six underpasses.
The line is poised for extension to the Myanmar border, around 232 km from Aizawl. This expansion will give a boost to regional trade and enhance national security along the sensitive border area. It will give India's cross-border connectivity a new dimension.
The project is also a strategic leg-up to India’s Act East Policy and the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which aims to connect all Northeastern state capitals through a strong railway network.
The railway line doesn't only reduce Bairabi-Aizawl travel time by more than 4 hours, but will also go a long way in giving a fillip to ecotourism in the region. As the state become more accessible, travellers, backpackers, filmmakers, and eco-tourism entrepreneurs will throng to it. Cross-border tourism will also witness a growth, with transnational travel corridors and cross culture exchanges across the Indo-Pacific.
Indian Railways is set to introduce Vistadome coaches in the train. Through the glass-roofed coaches, tourists will be able to have a panoramic view of the stunning landscape of Mizoram along with the Reiek Hills and Vantawng Falls and Tam Dil Lake and the Dampa Tiger Reserve -- all while sitting comfortably in their plush compartments.
The most important thing that the project has provided is instilling a sense of belonging among the locals. Bairabi-Sairang Railway line is not only a project on map. It is an attempt to integrate Mizoram into the national mainstream and ensure it makes strides on the path of progress.
